What Should I Look for in a Call Center?

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5 Key Ingredients

You’ve decided your business would benefit from hiring an inbound call center to handle your call volume. What’s next? It’s time to start shopping. But how do you know which call center service provider is a good fit for your business? We can help you know what to look for as you talk to different providers. Remember: not all call centers are equal. Be discerning when you shop. Know what questions to ask. Skim this list of 5 key ingredients of a high-quality call center.

1. Agents

It doesn’t matter how good your management team is or how sophisticated your technology, the most important ingredient to a good call center is the quality of the person sitting in that chair, receiving the call from your potential customer. We all know from experience – even the most well-written script won’t make a difference if you are talking to an agent who isn’t knowledgeable, courteous or professional. Before you sign a contract with a call center, go in person (if possible) and ask to listen in on some calls. You will be able to get a feel for the ability of the agents after just a couple of hours of listening in. That’s time and money well spent in the long run!

2. Training

It’s important to find out how call center agents are trained. Some call centers encourage clients to be involved in the training.This is a great opportunity to educate the TSRs on the ins and outs of your industry and your clientele. Additionally, it’s a great opportunity to create buy-in and accountability between you and the agents now that they have had face-time with a company executive.

3. Service

A key phrase in the call center world is ‘providing seamless service.’ We all know what it’s like to realize that you are talking to someone in India about an issue that feels very much like it should be handled locally. It can lead to frustration, annoyance and eventually, a request to be transferred to a local rep or just hanging up!

However, when you speak to someone from a high-quality call center, even at an offshore location, they are SO good at their job that you don’t even realize you’re talking to someone overseas! Providing seamless service means that the call center reps consider themselves the face of your company. They want to represent you in the best possible light to potential customers. THIS is the kind of call center service you want to find! And believe it or not, they are out there! For more information, you can read about the 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring an Inbound Call Center.

4. Experience

Another primary component to finding the right call center is choosing one with experience in your specific industry. A call center who has mostly handled customer service-related calls is not necessarily going to be good at scheduling medical appointments and handling patient intake. Similarly, a call center who takes calls for a law firm may require a different skill set than a call center that handles product purchases. Research the provider’s years of experience in the industry. Then get references within your industry to see just how well they have been able to handle these types of calls.

5. Software

Another primary component to finding the right call center is choosing one with experience in your specific industry. A call center who has mostly handled customer service-related calls is not necessarily going to be good at scheduling medical appointments and handling patient intake. Similarly, a call center who takes calls for a law firm may require a different skill set than a call center that handles product purchases. Research the provider’s years of experience in the industry. Then get references within your industry to see just how well they have been able to handle these types of calls.

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